Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) provides a comprehensive but targeted suite of support to assist entrepreneurs accelerate their growth and scale up their businesses.

We are seeking suppliers to provide executive education and support via a suite of masterclasses.

Bidders should note that this is one of 4 contracts being procured simultaneously, but under separate contract notices (Lots) as follows:

— Lot 1 — Structured Steps in the Entrepreneur’s Journey

— Lot 2 — Creating and Maintaining Competitive Advantage

— Lot 3 — Strategic Marketing

— Lot 4 — Strategic Negotiations

This particular Notice relates to Lot 4 Strategic Negotiations.

Bidders can submit a response for one or all of the Lots.

Bidders who are interested in bidding for any of the other contracts can do so by locating the respective PCS/OJEU notices, which were all published on the same date with ‘Executive Entrepreneurship — Masterclasses’ in the contract description.

II.1.5)Estimated total value

Value excluding VAT: 120 000.00 GBP

II.1.6)Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: no

II.2)Description

II.2.1)Title:

II.2.2)Additional CPV code(s)

80511000

80570000

80430000

II.2.3)Place of performance

NUTS code: UKM6

II.2.4)Description of the procurement:

Negotiation is a daily part of business — with customers, partners, suppliers, colleagues or employees. Successful negotiation requires self-awareness, preparation and practice. Business people may be negotiating with people with different views, ambitions, values, attitudes to risk, loyalties, likes and dislikes. Being able to reconcile these differences through effective negotiation is a valuable skill. This masterclass will give participants a framework and tools to deal with differences, resolve conflict and handle difficult conversations.

The masterclass will be held over two days in Inverness and will be delivered to a cohort of approximately 25-40 entrepreneurs to ensure the sessions are interactive.

II.2.7)Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system

Duration in months: 27

This contract is subject to renewal: no

II.2.10)Information about variants

Variants will be accepted: no

II.2.11)Information about options

Options: yes

Description of options:

HIE reserves the right, on giving reasonable written notice from time to time, to require changes to the Services (whether by way of the removal of Services, the addition of new Services, or increasing or decreasing the Services or specifying the order in which the Services are to be performed or the locations where the Services are to be provided). HIE shall not require any such change other than where it is permitted by Regulation 72 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015.

In accordance with Regulation 72(1)(a) of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015, HIE reserves the right to make changes to the volume, scope or location of the Services following a review of the Services by HIE, particularly with regard to demand for each Masterclass and budgetary availability. In particular, HIE reserves the right, at our sole discretion, to request the delivery of more than one Masterclass under one or more Lots up to the maximum budget for a given Lot, subject to the maximum total budget for all Lots, being 300 000 GBP.

The applicable budgets are as follows:

150 000 GBP for Lot 1

120 000 GBP for Lots 2-4

Where HIE determines (at our sole discretion) that demand for Masterclasses under one or more Lots is lower than expected, HIE reserves the right to re-allocate the budget for that Lot to one or more of the other Lots, subject to the maximum total budget of 300 000 GBP.

All Masterclasses will be agreed with the supplier and will be provided at the tendered rate.

II.2.12)Information about electronic catalogues

II.2.13)Information about European Union funds

The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: no

II.2.14)Additional information

Economic operators may be excluded from this competition if they are in any of the situations referred to in Regulation 58 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015.

Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information

III.1)Conditions for participation

III.1.1)Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers

List and brief description of conditions:

Not applicable to this procurement exercise.

III.1.2)Economic and financial standing

Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required:

4B.5 It is a requirement of this contract that bidders hold, or can commit to obtain prior to the commence of any subsequently awarded contract, the types and levels of insurance indicated below (all on an each and every claim basis):

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Service Levels will be developed and agreed between HIE and the supplier to ensure that the management and delivery of services is to agreed performance levels and will be monitored and measured by a variety of reports, surveys and audit systems. KPIs will be based on the service objectives.

III.2.3)Information about staff responsible for the performance of the contract

Obligation to indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff assigned to performing the contract

Section IV: Procedure

IV.1)Description

IV.1.1)Type of procedure

Open procedure

IV.1.3)Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system

IV.1.4)Information about reduction of the number of solutions or tenders during negotiation or dialogue

IV.1.6)Information about electronic auction

IV.1.8)Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: yes

IV.2)Administrative information

IV.2.1)Previous publication concerning this procedure

IV.2.2)Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate

Date: 06/12/2017

Local time: 12:00

IV.2.3)Estimated date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates

IV.2.4)Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted:

English

IV.2.6)Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender

IV.2.7)Conditions for opening of tenders

Date: 06/12/2017

Local time: 12:00

Section VI: Complementary information

VI.1)Information about recurrence

This is a recurrent procurement: yes

Estimated timing for further notices to be published:

HIE reserves the right to re-tender for these services upon termination of the contract or at the end of the contract period, including any extension period.

VI.2)Information about electronic workflows

Electronic ordering will be used

Electronic invoicing will be accepted

Electronic payment will be used

VI.3)Additional information:

In accordance with Regulation 72(1)(a) of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015, HIE reserves the right to make changes to the volume, scope or location of the Services following a review of the Services by HIE, particularly with regard to demand for each Masterclass and budgetary availability — refer to II.2.11 of this Contract Notice for further details.

All Masterclasses will be agreed with the supplier and will be provided at the tendered rate.

If bidding for more than one Lot, please ensure you have submitted all the correct documentation for each individual relevant Lot.

Where relevant, bidders are required to provide information relating to consortia (Q2C1 of ESPD) and/or sub-contractors (Qs 2C1 and 2D.1 of the ESPD) with the relevant supporting ESPD documentation being submitted.

ESPD Q2A.3 (not scored) Where relevant, bidders are required to insert details of their Companies House (or equivalent) registration number.

ESPD Q3D.12 Bidders should refer to the ‘Conflict of Interest’ Section within the Scope of Requirements when completing this question.

Scoring methodology.

The Award criteria will be marked according to the following criteria.

0 Unacceptable Nil or inadequate response which fails to demonstrate an ability to meet the requirement.

1 Poor Response is partially relevant but generally poor. It addresses some elements of the requirement but contains insufficient/limited detail or explanation to demonstrate how the requirement will be fulfilled.

2 Acceptable Response is relevant and acceptable. It addresses a broad understanding of the requirement but may lack details on how the requirement will be fulfilled in certain areas.

3 Good Response is relevant and good. It is sufficiently detailed to demonstrate a good understanding and provides details on how the requirements will be fulfilled.

4 Excellent Response is completely relevant and excellent overall. It is comprehensive, unambiguous and demonstrates a thorough understanding of the requirement and provides details of how the requirement will be met in full.

In order to participate, bidders should register, for free, on the Public Contracts Scotland (PCS)website (www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk), and record their interest in this contract and download and complete all relevant documentation.

Tenders must be submitted via the PCS postbox and must be received by the published deadline. Late tenders will not be accepted and HIE will reject any submissions received after the deadline. Hard copy responses will not be accepted.

PCS also gives suppliers access to an on-line Question and Answer facility which allows queries to be submitted (anonymously), and answers published and shared with all potential bidders. Multiple queries should be split into individual separate questions.